Paragon Press – November 2013

Happy Thanksgiving from Paragon Orthopedics!

Which Is Healthier?

The holidays are upon us and many of those celebrations revolve around food in one way or another. Are you hoping make healthier choices from the buffet table? Here is a short quiz to see if you can spot which choice is better for you.

Cow’s Milk vs. Soy Milk

Winner: Cow’s milk because it has more calcium and protein than soy milk. Also, sugar is added to soy milk to help it taste better. Unless you are lactose intolerant, 1% or skim milk is a better choice.

Jam vs. Jelly

Winner: Jam because it is made with actual fruit. Jelly is made with fruit juice and sugar. Jams also have added sugar, but at least there is a little vitamin C in it.

Steel-cut oats vs. rolled oats

Winner: It’s a tie. Both have nearly identical nutritional value. Don’t believe there is less nutrition to rolled oats because they are not raw, like steel-cut.

Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt

Winner: Greek yogurt because it is higher in protein, has about half of the carbohydrates as regular, and less sugar per ounce. Watch what you stir into that Greek yogurt! Regular yogurt is the winner for calcium content, so if your main concern is calcium, stick with regular.

Multigrain vs. Whole Grain products

Winner: Whole grain. A product that is multigrain has more than one type of grain, but not necessarily whole grains. You might see “Seven Grains” and this is an example of multigrain. You want whole grains because they contain all parts of the grain kernel, making them more nutritious. Whole grains are good sources of B vitamins and fiber.

Iceberg vs. Romaine Lettuce

Winner: Romaine. It has huge doses of vitamins A and K. Red Leaf lettuce comes in a close second, but Iceberg is 96% water and has the least nutrition out of all the choices of greens in a salad bar. Spinach also packs a nutritional punch with loads of vitamin A and K, as well.

Turkey burgers vs. hamburgers

It’s a tie. Turkey burgers are lower in calories, fat (especially saturated), and higher in calcium, but hamburgers have more protein and potassium. Surprisingly, hamburgers are lower in cholesterol when compared to 85% lean turkey burgers.

The following articles were referenced for this newsletter:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/multigrain/AN02047
http://www.fitsugar.com/Nutritional-Difference-Between-Hamburgers-Turkey-Burgers-11319750
http://lifehacker.com/5921760/use-this-chart-to-pick-the-most-nutritious-leafy-greens